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Tornado outbreak of April 23, 2020
On April 23, 2020 a large outbreak of tornadoes impacted Ohio, extreme east Indiana, and far north Kentucky. It is the largest outbreak in Ohio's history. It included an EF5 tornado which struck the Columbus, Ohio area, and did extreme damage in the suburb of New Albany, Ohio. The damage in New Albany has been considered some of the most extreme of all time, and the outbreak is one of the most intense the region has ever seen. The event left 89 people dead and cost $11.3 billion. Meteorological synopsis Preceding severe weather Prior to the main severe weather event on April 23, a local severe weather event impacted Illinois on April 22. No tornadoes occurred with this activity, but one person was injured when a strong wind gust knocked a tree onto their home. Damage from severe wind gusts also occurred on the campus of the University of Illinois during the late evening hours. The activity dissipated by midnight, therefore not affecting the setup on April 23 in any way. April 23 The event was well forecast, as models picked up on the event 5 days in advance. A strong trough was moving east into the Midwest, and the SPC put Ohio and eastern Indiana in a 30% risk area on April 19. This was upgraded to a moderate risk with the day 3 convective outlook, and the NWS Wilmington area forecast discussion noted the possibility of a large-scale tornado outbreak in the region. By the morning of the 23rd, the SPC had a high risk up for much of Ohio, extreme east Indiana, and north Kentucky. A rare 45% significant tornado risk was centered over central Ohio. A large outbreak of significant tornadoes was anticipated. Very strong shear overspread the risk area, and widespread MLCAPE values of 3,000 j/kg, good lapse rates, low 70°s dew points, and temperatures in the low 80°s set the stage for the event. Supercells fired along a cold front in eastern Indiana as early as 12:30 PM that day and quickly became tornadic. As the storms moved east, the supercells matured and became prolific tornado producers in extreme east Indiana and western Ohio. A long track EF4 tornado originated near Richmond, Indiana, and carved a 68.3 mile path of destruction until it dissipated near Urbana, Ohio. Further east in central Ohio, an incredible severe weather setup was in place. A PDS tornado watch had been issued for the high risk area early in the afternoon, and around 2:30 PM, supercells began to develop ahead of the main line of already existing supercells along the cold front. These new storms instantly became tornadic and produced several strong to violent tornadoes in central Ohio. An EF4 did significant damage in Plain City, Ohio. During he same time, the worst event of the day was unfolding. Around 3:43 PM, a tornado touched down just outside of Franklin County in far east Madison County, tracking northeast. It went on to move just south of downtown Columbus and directly impacted Gahanna and New Albany as an EF5, then dissipating northeast of Johnstown. Activity continued east into the late afternoon, before tapering off before sunset. Tornado Statistics '''' '' '' Confirmed tornadoes April 23 Event Notable tornadoes Verona—Tipp City, Ohio This long-tracked, violent wedge tornado touched down in Richmond, Indiana around 1:01 PM EDT. The tornado caused mainly EF1 and EF2 damage as it moved through Richmond and eastern Wayne County and into western Ohio, as several houses and businesses were damaged. Low-end EF3 damage was noted to a few homes south of New Paris, Ohio, which lost their second stories or were left with only interior walls left standing. In West Sonora, a car was tossed 200 yards and trees were debarked. The tornado intensified further as it moved into Verona, where high-end EF4 damage occured with several homes being flattened or swept away, and some ground scouring occured. Cars were tossed long distances and trees were completely debarked, twisted, and snapped. 5 people died in the town. The tornado continued to produce high-end EF3 damage and low-end EF4 damage between Phillipsburg and West Milton, where more homes were completely flattened or swept away, although most of them lacked anchor bolts. More EF4 damage was noted in Tipp City, with two poorly built homes being swept away and debris being pushed of their foundations, and several other homes and businesses being completely destroyed. The tornado then began to weaken and turned slightly more northeast, moving through Urbana at EF0 intensity before dissipating northeast of town at 2:39 PM EDT. Quincy—Bellefontaine—Marion, Ohio This long-tracked, high-end EF3 tornado, with estimated wind speeds of 165 mph at its peak, began west of Piqua. The supercell that spawned the tornado initiated ahead of the cold front, and was the first supercell to do so. The tornado began as a narrow, weak tornado and did damage to rural areas west and north of Piqua. It exited Miami county, and rapidly intensified. Now a large, multi-vortex wedge tornado 1/2 mile wide, the tornado moved through very rural areas of southwest Shelby county. A few farms were hit, however, and were leveled or completely swept away, earning a high-end EF3 rating. After clipping the northwest corner of Champaign County, the small town of Quincy took a direct hit, with nearly every structure in town being damaged. A high-end EF3 rating was applied there, too, as poorly constructed homes were completely leveled. The tornado continued northeast, doing EF2 to EF3 damage to homes south of De Graff. A tornado emergency was issued for Bellefontaine at 2:54 PM EDT. The tornado plowed through the south side of the city, leaving only interior walls standing and leveling a few homes again at high-end EF3 strength. The tornado persisted through very open rural areas, and because it wasn't rain-wrapped, it offered chasers an incredible view of this intense tornado. It did not hit many structures until moving west and north of Richwood, where high-end EF2 to low-end EF3 damage was noted to homes. Continuing through rural areas, the tornado weakened and produced EF1 damage to the few homes and trees in its path. Around this time, a PDS tornado warning was issued for the southern side of Marion. The tornado reintensified and became wrapped in rain, making for a very dangerous situation. Numerous homes on the southern side Marion were left with only interior walls standing, resulting with an EF3 rating there. A department store had its entire roof peeled back resulting in two exterior walls collapsing. Several injuries occurred inside. 2 deaths occured in a home that was poorly constructed. The very small community of Claridon was impacted at EF2 strength, but northeast of the small town trees were denuded and debarked, and again an EF3 rating was applied. The tornado weakened from there on, producing predominantly EF2 damage until its demise south of Mansfield. This tornado likely would have earned a higher rating if it hit more structures on its 101.8 mile path. It was on the ground for roughly 2 hours and 30 minutes. Beavercreek/Alpha, Ohio This supercell formed ahead of the cold front, and did so earlier and farther west than others that formed ahead of the front. With the very favorable environment it formed in, the supercell matured quickly and put down a violent tornado soon after. Touching down at 2:37 PM EDT, the tornado moved out of Moraine and into Dayton's southeastern suburbs, and rapidly intensified, doing EF3 damage to homes and businesses, with 1 person being killed in a car while driving, unaware the tornado was upon them. The tornado continued northeast, entering Greene County, and doing EF2 and EF3 damage to homes in its path. On the northern side of Beavercreek, low-end EF4 damage was noted to a few homes that were reduced to piles of rubble. The most widespread EF4 damage, while only low-end EF4, occured in a subdivision a few miles north of Alpha, where 13 people were killed, all of them in their homes. The houses there were reduced to piles of debris or were partially swept away. The tornado then entered rural areas of northern and northeast Greene County, where scattered debris was found in fields and trees were denuded and debarked. The tornado moved into Clark County, and didn't hit any significant structures until making a direct hit to the town of South Charleston. Low to mid-range EF4 damage was found there. 11 were injured in the town. The tornado weakened and did EF2 damage to the very small unincorporated community of Florence, and dissipated near London. The tornado tracked 43.2 miles, killed 14, and was on the ground for just over an hour, with a max width of 3/4 mile. Plain City, Ohio Shortly before the Columbus tornado touched down, a powerful supercell north of that one put down another violent tornado. The tornado touched down at 3:35 PM EDT near Choctaw Lake in western Madison County. It began moving northeast through rural areas, but was visually violent. It was a large wedge, and scoured some grass and debarked trees. It leveled the homes that were in its path, and low-end EF4 damage was found southwest of Plain City. As the tornado entered Plain City, it did incredible damage. Numerous homes in a subdivision of southwest Plain City were completely leveled or almost swept away. Three homes with anchor bolts were swept away leaving open basements, but contextual discrepancies prevented a rating higher than high-end EF4. 4 people died in Plain City. The tornado moved back into rural areas before moving through areas south of Jerome, where low-end EF4 damage was noted. The tornado crossed into Delaware County, and did high-end EF4 damage again, this time north of Shawnee Hills, where numerous houses were completely leveled and partially swept away. Debris was wind rowed and large objects were thrown long distances. It crossed the Scioto River, produced EF3 damage in northern Powell, and then began to weaken, producing mainly EF1 to EF2 damage for the remainder of its path. It eventually dissipated in a field east of Delaware. Columbus—New Albany, Ohio Extremely violent and devastating EF5 tornado. The tornado began in extreme eastern Madison County, Ohio, on what would go on to be an 42 mile path. The tornado touched down at 3:28 PM EDT, moving northeast at 40 mph out of extreme east Madison County. It entered southwest Franklin county, doing mainly EF0 damage to trees. It caused EF1 and EF2 damage to homes as it passed north of Grove City, and then did high-end EF2 and some EF3 damage on the south and east sides of Urbancrest. 3 deaths occured there, where a family was trying to outrun the tornado in their car. The tornado continued producing mid to high-end EF3 damage as it kept on its northeasterly path. The tornado then entered the southern side of Columbus, and a tornado emergency was issued. EF4 damage to homes and businesses was widespread, and 23 people died in that area. Homes and businesses were completely leveled in southern Columbus, in a wide swath of destruction. The tornado continued and took a slight turn north, then continued on its northeasterly track. It went through Bexley where widespread EF3 and EF4 damage occured, with numerous well-built homes completely leveled. Two old homes were swept away in Bexley. The Columbus International Airport was impacted next; the terminal was spared, as only the western half of the runaways were impacted. The cement on the runways had been scoured away, and significant ground scouring occured around the area. Then, at high-end EF4 strength, the tornado moved into Gahanna, leveling or sweeping away several well-built homes and businesses. Several vehicles were hurled long distances and crushed, and in some cases were wrapped around debarked trees. 10 deaths occured in Gahanna. Widespread EF4 damage continued as the tornado ripped through residential areas and moved into New Albany. Homes in the New Albany Country Club area were first. At EF5 strength, entire rows of well-built brick homes with extensive anchor bolting were completely swept away, leaving only open basements. In a few cases, cinder blocks of basement walls were sheared off at ground level. Damage surveyors estimated winds to be 220 mph, something they had never done. Now two miles wide, the tornado continued producing EF5 damage as it went directly through the center of New Albany. Everything in its path was either leveled or swept away completely. Deep ground scouring occured, as well as significant wind-rowing of debris. Debris was very finely granulated. Trees were completely debarked and reduced to stumps. Cars were tossed hundreds of yards and crushed beyond recognition, and a smaller vehicle was never located. The New Albany Links residential area was next, where EF5 damage continued, and numerous homes were reduced to nothing but slabs or open basements. A satellite tornado did EF1 damage to the Tidewater at New Albany community around that time. The tornado then exited New Albany, weakening to a low-end EF4, before producing EF5 damage one last time to two large, well-built homes in extreme northeast Franklin County, both of them being swept away completely. 15 people died in New Albany. The tornado crossed into Licking County, where ground scouring occured and trees were debarked in rural areas. The tornado entered Johnstown, producing EF2 and EF3 damage, before weakening and turning north. The tornado dissipated at 4:37 PM EDT. It had a maximum width of 2 miles and cost and estimated $5.2 billion (2016 USD), and is regarded as one of the most violent tornadoes ever. Category:Outbreaks Category:Deadly Tornadoes Category:Deadly Outbreaks Category:Catastrophic Outbreaks Category:Costly Outbreaks Category:Catastrophic Tornadoes Category:Costly Tornadoes Category:Violent Tornadoes Category:Violent Outbreaks Category:Ohio Tornadoes